Topic number five thousand

[Perversion]

To commemorate, think back on six years ago, and look at today in gaming. What are some things you never expected to see? Things you knew were on the way? Reminisces or memories of the six years since the Pav started here on V-Bulletin, videogame-related.

[Alex]

Re: Topic number five thousand

I never expected to see my interest in video games dwindle down to whatever it is now. Video games helped shape me into who I am today. I just never play them any more. I buy a couple games a year, out of some collector's obligation, and never really touch them.

Modern video games don't interest me as much as they used to. The last two (new) games I purchased and enjoyed were Kirby's Epic Yarn and Donkey Kong Country Returns. Both nostalgia throwbacks, with 2D gameplay.

Six years ago was 2005. I was deep in a Katamari euphoria. I was 15 pounds lighter, getting my cardio with Dance Dance Revolution. I was in the middle of three RPG's. I would soon be suckered into WoW.

Now, I focus more on creative pursuits and socializing. Sometimes I think it's all a waste, and I should just lock myself in my room and play video games all day. Actually, I think some of those days might be healthy for me.

[Perversion]

Re: Topic number five thousand

I was not around right when the Pav switched over to V-Bulletin. I came in late 2005, when RPGM3 released. I had just picked up my first (second) PS2 about a month before, due to all the SRPGs (NIS, before I really knew anything about NIS) on the console. Most of those were a letdown. That last gen, the original Xbox was my console of choice. Gladius, Morrowind, Top Spin Tennis, PSO, Bard's Tale, Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance, and, to a lesser extent, Fable and KotOR. That was the last console that I really, really enjoyed for its retail games.

I had bought my 360 in 2007 with wide-eyed optimism, and really enjoyed the online framework and focus of the console, and began getting more XBLA games. Then I found a 60 gig PS3 about 8 months after they went out of production, still brand new, at Sam's Club, of all places.

Now in 2011, I'm buying fewer and fewer retail games, and more and more downloadable games. I'm at that time in my life when something I can pick up for a few hours and put down, or spend 6 hours straight, and not pay full retail price, is more and more appealing to me. With each passing year, I come to realize more and more that retail console games are becoming increasingly less interesting to me. Yes, every year, there are exceptions (2009 with Demon's Souls, 2010 with Bayonetta and Atelier Rorona, and this year with Child of Eden, Portal 2, Catherine, and presumably the Team Ico collection, which got pushed back to December 31...good luck seeing The Last Guardian release this year). But all of those games cater to a smaller or larger niche.

As CoD Black Ops just recently became the best selling game of all time, I realize that I am no longer a part of the market that the industry caters to. I'm going to try very hard to make this my last console gen...but I know that'll probably not happen. At the least, I'm going to try to only choose one console and one handheld when the next generation rolls around. It's true what Toaster and Mora joke about. I've become more of a collector than a player. But a big portion of that is due to the industry as a whole not catering to the types of games I enjoy, and the other part is due to having a VERY low tolerance for boredom in gaming. If a game does not suck me in right away, a lot of times, I'll put it aside and never touch it again.


The first arcade game I played was Space Invaders. The first console I played was Pong. The first console I owned was the Atari 2600. Gaming HAS been a HUGE portion of my life. But I'm coming to realize more and more that it might be getting close to the time to move on. You know, cherish my gaming memories, and not constantly have to be on the cutting edge of what's new. I do not think I'll be able to completely eliminate gaming from my life, though, as it makes up a big portion of who I am.

[Hrafn]

Re: Topic number five thousand

One thing I notice is back then I had more free time and less to do with it, so I considered length a major positive in a game. Now I'm the opposite, valuing brevity in about 98% of games (excluding those few that are so good you don't really want them to end).

[Cutter De Blanc]

Re: Topic number five thousand

This topic is depressing

I thought there would be virtual reality machines by now.

[Thutmose]

Re: Topic number five thousand

Around six years ago, I graduated high school, was 260-ish pounds or more.

I predicted that my life would just be nothing but loneliness, sadness, regret, and despair. I full well expected that I would die alone and unloved.

Now that I'm building a career in software development, I know that will be my fate.

j/k (I guess... then again, I do wear two pocket protectors... might as well just castrate myself and get it over with )

Back then I had a lot more hope for the future of gaming that I do now. At least, I have less hope in the short-term. I actually believed the hype/lies about Fable 2, and was looking forward to a rebirth of the RPG genre. A game that would not just be a bunch of static set-pieces, unchanging.

Then came Oblivion. Then Mass Effect. Then came DA 2.

What disappoints me the most about gaming is that all the potential I saw back then for AI, procedurally generated worlds and environments, networked supercomputing, etc. in games is still unrealized. It doesn't seem like any big name studios are putting much effort into profound innovation and experimentation.

I have less time for gaming than ever before, but I still finding myself less and less interested in it anyway. Seems like the same stuff over and over. (and in the case of the above listed games, I mean that literally)

[Kefka Jr.]

Re: Topic number five thousand

Six years ago, Japan was reaching a fever pitch of creativity. Katamari Damacy, Shadow of the Colossus, Resident Evil 4, even Wario Ware Twisted. Games both unique and widely appealing. Things have changed in that regard.

But, hey, now I have access to several video games through which I can play with someone anywhere in the world in a manner of minutes, and that is amazing. I could do that six years ago, too, but now I have enough options to do it with games I actually LIKE playing.

[Red Dragon]

Re: Topic number five thousand

Six years ago I was lonely playing video games and having no friends hating the world and despising everything and anything.

Nothing has changed.

[Manji]

Re: Topic number five thousand

six years ago i was probably working on an RPG Maker game with high hopes i would finish it... and i've got nothing to show! actually i do still have my save data. i might go back and see what kind of mess i was making.

and RPG Maker 3 came out in 2005, so i'm sure the site was buzzing with excitement

[Karr Lord of Chaos]

Re: Topic number five thousand

in 2005 i had just decided to go back to school (which got me absolutely nowhere so go me), and spent most of the money i got for school on games. i burned through every game i had played or wanted to play on the ps1 and 2. this was also one of the years i left the online gaming scene which freed up tons of time to do other things.

industry wise i too have noticed a decline in risk taking. the games i buy seam to become narrower and i now buy for fewer platforms due to many cross platform games. ive played much of the mainstream games that are universally popular and tend to avoid much of the other stuff thats just a time suck. i wont embrace cod, its not what im looking for in a game. im kind of proud im the only one left in the world who hasnt bought and played it.

the biggest change is that i can play with anyone around the world, that is a major change in the gaming industry. despite that, i havent tapped into group gaming at all, and have played with my friends online only a few times. i find online gaming itself to be a horrible experience, too many immature humans with no value, too much that isnt worth experiencing. ive done that part of my life and ive mostly moved beyond it. id prefer to play with friends but most games have a shelf life before no one plays it anymore.

now i spend much of my time playing lengthy epics and working on my own personal projects. i find i dont finish many of my handheld games, i just cant bring myself to do all the extra crap and i dont wana beat the game without it.

i wont stop gaming any time soon, but what i buy will be less. even more so as rl obligations and tiredness eat away at good gaming time. im proud that ive improved the time i spend for myself and creating my own game.

[ErikaFuzzbottom]

Re: Topic number five thousand

The last two (new) games I purchased and enjoyed were Kirby's Epic Yarn and Donkey Kong Country Returns. Both nostalgia throwbacks, with 2D gameplay.

Outside of the 2D gameplay, I'd hardly consider Kirby's Epic Yarn a nostalgia throwback. It seemed to set itself apart from other Kirby games, and yet, Kirby games haven't really evolved that much.


Lessee, six years ago, I did not expect six years to go by without the announcement of a new console RPG Maker. Heck, there was one period of time where there was a big debate over which console the next RPG Maker would be on. Apparently, none of us were right.

Six years ago, I did not expect Microsoft's Xbox line to become a respectable platform.

Six years ago, I did not expect the next big Mario platformer to rank right up there with Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World, especially not enough to warrant an immediate sequel. We hadn't had more than one Mario platformer on a console since before Mario 64 (so much for its rumored sequel, eh?), and Super Mario Sunshine left me feeling that Mario was beginning to go downhill.

Six years ago, I was a lot more into video games. Nowadays, I'm too worried about money to buy anything that I don't already know I'll love. Which is just as well, as I've come to accept the fact that I rarely ever finish any game I start playing.

Six years ago, I expected to be done with Slayers' Reign before the end of the decade.

Six years ago, I did not expect that I'd get to go to anything resembling an RPG Maker convention.

Six years ago, I did not expect to go through two computers during these six years. >_<

Six years ago, I didn't really care much that I had no life outside my house. Boy, has that changed. Gotta thank Second Life for letting me know what I was missing out on. At the same time, I want to stab it for letting me know what so far I've been unable to attain. Stab stab.